Crossing the Line
by NerdyGerl
Summary: When a junior agent overhears a conversation never meant for his ears, he jealously uses the information for his own gain.  Of course, it has unexpected consequences for our favorite partners.  Based off of A Night at the Bones Museum.  Now with epilogue!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate! I'm not quite sure where this one came from, but I wanted some non-Hannah fluff. And is there anyone out there who didn't love "A Night at the Bones Museum?" Also note, I am aware that the majority of Egypt is Muslim, and that many Muslims do not drink alcohol. I don't want to offend anybody. For the purposes of this story, The Jeffersonian footed the alcohol bill and is responsible for all impropriety. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Saturday 5:17 PM

Agent Thomas Masters stood at the open bar, sipping at a scotch. He hated the stuff, but this party was too fancy for beer and he would look ridiculous drinking wine out of the delicate glasses. His eyes searched the crowd for his girlfriend, a junior assistant at the Egyptian Embassy, the reason why he had even snagged an invitation to this event. The Jeffersonian had recovered a stolen mummy involved in a murder, and had somehow also solved a three-thousand year old mystery. Or something like that. His girlfriend, Ara, had prattled on and on about the mummy, at first in shock and horror that a priceless Egyptian artifact had disappeared, and then about the historical find of the century, a giant ruby and an exoneration for a guiltless boy.

Tom took another sip of the scotch trying not to grimace. It was an excellent scotch, so all the other party-goers kept saying, but all he wanted was a good old Miller Light. He spotted Ara at the far end of the room, looking beautiful, but harried as two of her superiors were giving her instructions on the ceremony that she was in charge of running smoothly. She glanced his way, but she did not see his friendly wave as she made her way to the podium on the makeshift stage in the center of the room. Instead, she enthusiastically greeted a pretty brunette who looked slightly nervous.

It took him a second to recognize that the glamorous woman was actually that nerdy and abrasive scientist, Temperance Brennan. He had once had a very awkward exchange with her in an elevator, and he had heard dozens of rumors about her and her partner, the cocky Special Agent Seeley Booth. And speak of the Devil, the agent had made his way to Dr. Brennan and had given her an encouraging squeeze of the hand. Instantly, all of the tension that had been in the anthropologist's face melted away. She smiled at him and her eyes sparkled a pretty blue. He gave her one last thumb's up sign as he made his way to the table, joining the rest of what other agents called "The Brain Trust." Dr. Brennan took her seat at the head table that rested on one side of the podium and sipped at a glass of water, as the rest of the guests settled for the evening's ceremony.

Two hours, and four scotches later, Tom was bored. The speeches had gone over his head, and the food had been too fancy and in too small of portions for his liking. He had been seated with Ara's co-workers, but his girlfriend had been too busy running around to join him for the speeches and the meal. Music had started playing, and he hoped that he would at least be able to get a dance in with his girl, so that the evening wouldn't be a total waste. He once again searched the ballroom for her. She was chatting with Dr. Brennan, the two seemingly engaged in a thrilling conversation.

He started to make his way over to Ara, and reached the two women at the same time as Agent Booth. Tom was surprised that Dr. Brennan addressed him by name, and annoyed when Booth didn't seem to recognize him as an employee of the FBI. Booth got a goofy grin on his face when Dr. Brennan reminded him that it was Tom who had been in the elevator when she had been discussing the decomposition rates of tissue by maggots dependent on temperature. Booth seemed to then be able to place the junior agent and warmly shook his hand and mumbling apologies, he took his partner away for the first slow dance of the evening.

Ara now had a free moment, and so Tom escorted her onto the dance floor. She had bubbled over, talking about how successful the night had been. Everything had gone off without a hitch, the food had been incredible, and Dr. Brennan had offered her a personal tour of the Medico-Legal lab. And Dr. Brennan's speech had been inspiring, and Dr. Brennan's dress was gorgeous. Tom grew annoyed. He already heard way too much about the scientist at the Hoover, due to her brilliant and successful partnership with Booth. It was just as Tom was about to shut her up with a kiss, that he heard one last comment about the anthropologist, and her partner.

"Aren't Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth perfect together?" Tom stopped moving.

"What did you say?" Ara grinned at him.

"She's so beautiful, and he's so handsome. They are the perfect couple. Just look at them dancing." Tom reluctantly turned around and was floored by what he saw. The agent and the scientist were dancing very close together. They were looking into each other's eyes, and as Booth guided Dr. Brennan along the floor, the only emotion that he could see in their eyes was what he would describe as love. Tom continued to stare at the partners as the song shifted into another slow dance, the doctor had broken eye contact in favor of resting her head on Booth's shoulder. He held her a little tighter and smiled. She seemed oblivious to the fact that he had kissed the crown of her head and was working on breathing in the scent of her hair.

Ara poked Tom in the shoulder, bringing him back to the dance floor. They continued to swirl around with the other couples and Ara spoke again. "Wasn't I right? Aren't they so cute together? How long have they been dating?"

Tom suddenly pulled Ara off the dance floor and into the quietest corner of the room. "Ara, darling, they are partners. They can't be dating. It's against policy."

Ara scoffed, "Come on, they have to be dating. Look at them." The music had faded into a faster song and they had held each other for just a second too long, not immediately recognizing the change of pace. They had then chuckled awkwardly and continued dancing, this time with much more enthusiasm. At this point they were joined by The Brain Trust and all began dancing to the beat. Still, there was an undeniable connection between the partners. It worried Tom. He liked rules and regulations, and he didn't like it when someone else bent said rules. Seeley Booth had been the golden boy at the Bureau for far too long. He scowled in their direction and then turned to his girlfriend.

"Let's get me another drink. The scotch is starting to taste good." Ara giggled and followed him to the bar, thankfully changing the subject to the safer topic of the best fashions at the party tonight. Of course the Ambassador topped the list, but Dr. Brennan was a very close second. Tom sighed under his breath and pointed out the dress that one of The Brain Trust was wearing. It was sexy and short, and he appreciated the view, only he didn't tell Ara that last part. She enthusiastically agreed and babbled on for five uninterrupted minutes.

Half an hour and two more scotches later, Tom was again alone at the bar. Ara had gone to the restroom to freshen up, and Tom sipped his drink. He was minding his own business when two members of The Brain Trust came to freshen up their drinks. He idly noticed that one of the women was the one that he had admired earlier. Asking for refills of champagne, the women giggled as they talked about how much fun they were having.

"Angela, how many drinks is this for me?"

"Too many, Cam. But you can have another one. Bren rented us that town car for a reason."

"Speaking of Dr. Brennan..."

"How is that a speaking of Dr. Brennan?"

"Hush, Ange. Did you see her and Booth on that dance floor?"

"I know. They make me want to rethink this celibacy thing. Why don't they just admit it to everyone?"

"That they're in love? God, I know. It's so obvious." The woman named Cam laughed and then hiccuped and laughed again. Then she continued speaking. "I am only saying this because I am drunk and won't remember it in the morning, but after Seeley's surgery, he admitted it. He told me that he is in love with her."

Tom had slammed his drink, signaled the bartender for another and sidled closer to the two women. He then wished that he hadn't gotten so close because the squeal that came out of Angela's mouth caused hearing loss.

"Really? That's half the battle then. The question is how do we get Booth to win the war?"

"I don't know, Ange. Oh, look at them." Cam sounded like she had been talking about two puppies. The music had once again changed to a slow dance and the two partners had been drawn together like magnets, Brennan's head had gone immediately to Booth's shoulder and Angela squealed again. It gave Tom a headache.

The two women watched them dance for a moment as they sipped their champagne and then Angela spoke again. "They have the perfect relationship..." At that moment Ara returned and pulled Tom onto the dance floor. He was snatched away without hearing Angela finish her sentence. "They just aren't having sex."

An hour and a half later, Tom was finally in a cab on his way home. His head pounded and Ara had fallen asleep with her head in his lap. He sat, seething, as he remembered the evening. Special Agent Seeley Booth was hiding a relationship with his partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan. It wasn't fair, and it was against the rules. Everyone thought that he was so perfect, but now Tom knew better. Booth was a liar and he was trying to deceive the FBI. He shouldn't get away with it. Tom convinced himself that it was the rule breaking and not the last three scotches and professional jealousy that made his finger scroll through his cell contacts. The phone rang three times before a grumpy voice answered.

"Assistant Director Hacker? Agent Tom Masters here. Sorry to call you so late at night, but I have some information that you might be interested in."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Chapter 2: Monday 10:30 AM

Brennan was in limbo working on a fallen Civil War soldier when her phone rang. She peeled off her gloves and answered on the fourth ring.

"Brennan."

"Dr. Brennan, you need to get to the Hoover, now." The voice on the phone was panicked.

"Sweets, what's wrong. Did something happen to Booth?"

"In a way. Dr. Brennan, seriously, I can't tell you anything else right now. Just get over here as fast as you can." Sweets disconnected the call, ignoring Brennan's frantic pleas for assurance that Booth was fine.

Fifteen minutes later, Brennan had arrived at the Hoover building. A nervous looking Sweets met her in the lobby and practically dragged her onto the elevator.

"Dr. Sweets, please tell me that Booth is alright."

"Physically, he's fine, but I'm sorry. Just wait a few minutes, you'll know everything." Sweets pressed an elevator button, to a floor two flights above Booth's office, the executive floor. The elevator ride lasted an eternity to Brennan, and was over in an instant for Sweets. He gently pushed her off of the elevator. He was about to press her down the hallway by placing his hand at her back when she turned and snapped at him.

"Sweets, if you touch me again, I can't be responsible for what happens to you." Sweets blushed, but stepped around her, leading the way to Hacker's office. Just before he knocked on the door he turned to the anthropologist.

"Dr. Brennan, I'm truly sorry about this. I tried to convince him, but he didn't believe me. Especially after he had a tech hack into my computer and look into the book that I am writing about you. Totally unethical, by the way. But legal, unfortunately."

"Sweets, tell me what's going on." He avoided meeting her eyes and just knocked on the office door and heard a strained, "come in." The duo entered Hackers office and immediately Booth was on his feet, staring at Brennan.

"Bones! What are doing here?" He looked pale, frustrated and upset.

"Sweets called me, and told me to come down here. Andrew, could you please tell me what is going on?"

"Dr. Brennan, I think that you should refer to me as Assistant Director Hacker. Please sit down." Brennan looked shocked. Just because she had uninvited him to the Egyptian gala, it didn't give him the right to treat her so coldly, or to make Booth look so panicked. But when he urged her again to sit down, she slowly made her way to the chair and sank down into it, utterly confused.

"Dr. Brennan, I have just informed Agent Booth that I am dissolving your partnership. Another agent will be assigned to liaise with the Jeffersonian effective immediately."

"Why? What did we do wrong? I know that Booth can be a bit lax with paperwork since his surgery, but we've been working on that. I think his reports have become much more thorough under my supervision."

"It's not because of his paperwork."

"Did I do something to anger you? I'm sorry if you are offended by my calling off a date with you, but I didn't think that you would be so punitive."

"Dr. Brennan, it isn't because you turned me down. I am dissolving your partnership because you have a physical relationship with Agent Booth!"

"Excuse me?" Brennan was even more confused than when she had first walked in the office.

"You. Are. Dating. Agent. Booth." Hacker said with careful measure, trying to keep the jealousy out of his voice. Trying and failing.

"No, I'm not." She looked to Booth for support.

"Of course we aren't. It's against the rules. There is a line there. A line that we don't cross."

"Stop lying to me Agent Booth. Your job is on the line here. I have it from a reliable source that you are in a relationship."

Brennan looked offended, "Who is your source?"

"There is an Angela Montenegro for one who stated that you were in a relationship, an Agent from the FBI who observed your interaction at the gala, even your own therapist has in writing that he thinks that you are in love with each other." Booth and Brennan both turned to Sweets, who looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. Unfortunately, the floor had remained completely solid.

"I told the Assistant Director that it was just a theory and that Dr. Wyatt thought that my book was crap. He doesn't believe me. I'm really sorry." Sweets sounded like Parker did after he did something wrong and Booth had to force an amused smile off of his face.

"Of course your book is crap. You're twelve, what do you know?"

Hacker still looked furious, "Agent Booth, you are suspended for one month without pay for insubordination and failure to comply with the policies of the Bureau. Badge and gun, please."

Booth looked defeated as he reached into his holster. Brennan however was indignant. She stood up and stared Hacker in the eye.

"That is unfair. You have no actual proof of a relationship between Booth and me. This is ridiculous, we are just friends, and more importantly we are partners, the best ones that you have. There is no way that we would compromise our work. We are not in love with each other."

Brennan could not see Booth behind her, but both Hacker and Sweets saw the sadness that came over Booth's face. It was the same look that Hacker had seen when he had asked for Booth's blessing to ask out Temperance. Hacker thought smugly that he had been right to be suspicious of Booth that afternoon. He was trying to cover up his relationship, but had been jealous. Booth hadn't covered very well. He was head over heels for the beautiful anthropologist.

But for the first time, Hacker began to doubt the information that Agent Masters had given him. Dr. Brennan was not that good of an actress, and her emphatic denial of feelings for Booth seemed to genuinely hurt him. Hacker's face softened for a moment, but then he held firm. These partners were obviously too close, and disaster must be imminent. One wrong move, and the public relations' fallout could end up costing even Hacker his job.

Hacker once again asked for Booth's badge and gun, reaching around a stunned Brennan for the items. He then escorted the former partners and Sweets out of his office, claiming that he would deal with Sweets later, and that Dr. Brennan should expect a phone call from the new agent within the next few days. Brennan started to protest that Booth was the only agent that she would ever work with, but Booth stopped her with the gentle pressure of his hand on her shoulder and a whispered, "Bones, not now."

Hacker did not miss the interaction, and once again felt justified with his actions. Justified, and petty. He had never had great luck with women, but he knew now that the most brilliant, beautiful woman that he had ever met was lost to him forever. He closed his door with a little more force than necessary, leaving three people looking lost in the executive hallway.

Sweets spoke first, "Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth, once again, I want to apologize. I tried to tell him that you.."

Booth cut him off. "Shut up, Sweets."

"Booth, don't be cruel. He tried to help us. It's not his fault, not entirely anyway. I'm more curious as to what Angela said about us. I know that she is always trying to push us together, I just don't understand, she's our friend." Brennan looked genuinely hurt at Angela's alleged betrayal.

Sweets raised his hand, asking for permission to speak. Booth nodded warily and Sweets continued, "Apparently, at that party, a slightly intoxicated Angela told Cam that she thought that you guys had a 'perfect relationship.' Agent Masters overheard and decided that it was his ethical duty to inform the FBI of your indiscretion."

Booth dripped venom as he spoke. "I'm gonna kill him." Brennan's hand reached out to calm the agent.

"Booth, please. We will figure this out. They will see the errors in their way, and everything will go back to the way it was. And I promise, I won't work with any agent but you. You are my partner, Booth. I don't want any other one. Don't give up on us, please."

The gentleness in her tone surprised Booth, but the tender look on her face is what finally made something snap. He stepped towards her, invading her personal space. He had almost kissed her before the gala, but had been interrupted by the squints. When he was dancing with her, he had wanted to press his lips to hers but had settled for ghosting them over her hair and holding her close. But now, there was nothing holding him back. They were the only two people in the universe, never mind Sweets standing a few feet away or Hacker pacing his office. Booth had one goal in mind right now. Booth placed his arm around his partner and held her close to him and his partner let out a small gasp.

"Booth, what are you doing?"

"I'm crossing the damn line, Temperance. There's nothing to stop me now." And then he wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her towards him, tilting his face down. For one second she looked scared, but then her eyes closed as his lips made contact with hers. His own eyes slid shut as he deepened the kiss, her body now responding to his advances. He wasn't sure how long they stood there, kissing outside of Hacker's office, but suddenly he was aware of the psychologist clearing his throat.

All three were blushing as the agent released the scientist. An instant later, Brennan looked at Booth, terror in her eyes. Without saying a word, she ran down the hall and made a beeline for the elevator, which had somehow known that she was coming and had opened of its own accord. She frantically pressed the button for the lobby, ignoring Booth chasing after her, calling her name. The doors closed a second before he reached it, his last image one of her brushing a tear off of her cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Chapter 3: Monday 9:27 PM

Booth pounded on Brennan's door. "Bones, Bones. Open up, I know you are in there. I talked to Angela, she said that you were here. And she said that she was sorry. I'm sorry too. I just snapped. It was inappropriate, I don't know what I was thinking. Please, open the door, Temperance."

He kept knocking on the door, until finally, he heard the dead bolt sliding and the door slowly opened. He quickly placed a toe by the jamb, so that she couldn't close the door in his face. It was an unnecessary gesture because she had backed several feet into her apartment, watching him silently. Her face was red as if she had been crying since she had left the Hoover. A wave of guilt washed over him. And another wave hit him when she finally spoke.

"Why did you do that, Booth?" He swallowed hard.

"Because I want to give us a shot. Because you are an amazing woman, and I think that we could be amazing together. Because I have feelings for you, very deep feelings."

"But we're partners."

"I know, but we can be more than that." He walked inside the living room now and kicked the door closed with the sole of his shoe.

"No, we can't. Our work is too important. We can't give that up."

"Yes, what we do is important, but how we feel is important too. Don't deny it, Bones. You feel something for me, just like I feel something for you. Something special, something unique, something wonderful. Don't you feel it?" He took a step towards her and she took a step backwards.

"I feel friendship for you, and dedication, and loyalty." She paused, biting her lip thoughtfully.

"And?"

"And what, Booth? Do you want me to say that I feel love?"

"For God's sake, yes." He took another step towards her, and this time she took two steps back. Fresh tears appeared in her eyes.

"Don't make me, please." Tears appeared in his own eyes, threatening to spill over.

"Why not, what are you so afraid of?" He took yet another step towards her and this time she did not back away.

"Love is ephemeral. It doesn't last. Look at Angela and Hodgins, at you and Rebecca, at me and Sully. It ends, and when it ends it is painful."

"What if it doesn't end?" He again stepped towards her.

"Of course it will end, Booth. And then what happens? We've lost our partnership and then we will lose our friendship."

"I promised you that I would never betray you, and I won't. Temperance, you will never lose me. I promise you that." He was now two steps away from her.

"You can't promise that. People don't stay. They abandon you, they leave you all alone, and its too hard to pick up the pieces of a broken life."

"Bones, did you just use a metaphor?" He was now one step away from her.

"Don't change the subject, Booth. Please, I think you should go. We can talk in the morning."

"I'm not leaving you, Bones. Not now, not ever. Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you with my life."

"But not with your heart?" Booth's voice was heart-crushing. A lone tear fell down Brennan's cheek.

"I can't. We can talk to Hacker, we will find a way to still work together."

"It's not enough. I want more, I've wanted more for such a long time. At the party, at the exhibit, when it was just the two of us, I wanted to kiss you, to tell you how I felt. And, I know that you felt something. Don't deny it, at the office, you kissed me back. Give us a chance. I know that we could be great together."

"It's your tumor talking, and the anesthesia. You remember that stupid dream version of me. I'm not that woman."

"Yes, you are. You are that passionate, amazing woman that I was in love with in that dream. Only Bones is way better than Bren. Bones is real, Bones is standing in front of me, Bones is in love with me, Special Agent Seeley Booth, not some shallow night club owner.."

"I never said that I was in love with you."

"Not with words, maybe. But with looks, and actions, in all the ways that count. You've told me. And I've told you, I tell you everyday."

"Booth, stop, please." Booth shook his head at his partner.

"No. Look, I know I'm not good enough for you, but..." With that statement, Brennan became angry.

"Seeley Booth, stop it. I'm the one who isn't good enough for you." Her voice calmed somewhat and she continued on, "I'm the one who will screw everything up. I don't have a heart like yours. It isn't open like yours. Someday you are going to wake up and realize that I'm not the woman for you. And I can't lose you, Booth. I can't lost you again." Booth finally closed the gap between them, wrapping his arms around her. He finally understood. She did not want to fail him, she did not want to fail herself.

She had once suffered for two long weeks without him. And then spent four days wondering if he was ever going to wake up. And then he had woken up and had been somebody else. Somebody who was Booth and also wasn't Booth. He was in love with, married to, and expecting a baby with a woman who wasn't Brennan but was. They had both lost and found each other through the years, each time emerging more bound to each other, making any separation harder to bear. But Booth knew that he didn't want to be separated from her ever again and it was possible that his partner felt the same way.

"Oh Bones." He didn't know what else to say, so he kissed her forehead and held her close for a long moment. She calmed in his arms, burying her face in his neck. His hand trailed up and down her spine and had then started rubbing soothing circles. Eventually Brennan pulled away slightly. She sniffed lightly and Booth handed her a handkerchief from his pocket. She smiled in gratitude and dabbed her eyes and her nose.

"Booth, I'm sorry. Maybe I really do need therapy." Booth chuckled. She started to speak again, several times, each time cutting herself off after only two words. He placed a finger under her chin and raised her head so that their eyes would meet.

"What are you trying to say, Bones?"

"Maybe, I was wrong. I do care for you. I just don't know what I would do if I lost you. I already worry about your tumor and the effects of the surgery. And I still have nightmares about you getting shot. It's dangerous work that we do, Booth." He moved his finger from her chin to settle on her lips, silencing her.

"I know that it's a risk, but its one that I think we should take. I don't want to have any regrets, and if we don't take this risk, we'll regret it. I know that we will. Bones, I'm willing to take a chance on this. Are you?"

Suddenly, Brennan's expression changed. A radiant smile lit up her face. "Booth, are you really sure about this?"

"Yes."

"Really, really sure?" Booth chuckled again.

"Yes, Bones. I'm sure."

"Booth?"

"Yes, Bones."

"I'd really like it if we could kiss again."

"I thought you'd never ask."

"Well, I didn't technically ask." He didn't respond in words, instead he brought his lips down to hers and kissed her. It started slow, but became deeper and there was definite tongue contact.

An eternity later, they pulled apart only to have Brennan lead him to her bedroom. No words were necessary at that particular moment.

Hours later, they were still wrapped around each other. It felt comfortable and more importantly, it felt right. So Booth couldn't figure out why she still felt tense in his arms.

"Bones, go to sleep. It's late."

"I'm sorry if I am keeping you up. I'm just thinking."

"Stop thinking, sleep."

"I'm sure Caroline could find a loop-hole for us."

"We can talk about it in the morning, let's just enjoy tonight."

"Maybe we can volunteer for more therapy, or quarterly reviews." Booth yawned as he pulled her closer.

"Sounds like a plan, Bones."

"Actually, there are a few favors that I can call in." Booth pulled away from her slightly so that he could look into her eyes. He raised an eyebrow at her and she continued speaking. "What? You're not the only one who knows people, Booth."

"Who exactly do you know?"

"It's classified. But all I need to do is make a phone call or two. And I feel I should warn you, it is likely that Agent Masters will be transferred to Juneau. It's a shame, really, his girlfriend is lovely, she will miss him very much." Booth whistled and then returned his head to the pillow.

"For the record, you are way out of my league, Temperance Brennan. I don't know what you see in me."

"You are a superb agent, and a good man and an amazing..." he once again raised his head and looked at her. Even in the darkness he could see the blush on her cheeks. "You were being rhetorical and sarcastic."

He pecked at her lips and snuggled into her side. "You're starting to get it, Bones."

"I am very intelligent."

"It's one of the reasons that I love you, Bones." She stiffened a little bit more in his arms.

Her voice was timid as she spoke, "In an 'atta girl' kind of way?" He kissed her temple.

"No, Bones, in every kind of way." She finally relaxed into him and gave him one firm kiss before snuggling deeper onto his chest.

"Good, because that is the way that I feel about you." He gave her one last squeeze and they both finally fell asleep, in each others arms with smiles on their faces.


	4. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: A couple of you asked for an epilogue, and I have been toying with it for a long time and this is the result. I have edited a few things in the previous chapters, so you may want to give them a re-read. Enjoy the end of this story. Just a warning, it's pretty fluffy.

Epilogue:

Two and a half years later, Sunday 3:13PM

A visibly pregnant Angela stretched on the bench as she wrinkled her nose at the pungent aroma of the monkey exhibit across the pathway. She turned her face up toward the sunshine, enjoying the nice day. Her thoughts drifted to next summer when she would be pushing a stroller containing her own son on his first visit to the zoo. A soft grunt brought her back to the present day as a body sat on the bench next to her.

"Hey you."

Hodgins leaned in to kiss his wife and rubbed her belly, greeting his progeny in his own way. Angela placed her own hand over her husband's.

"Where are the rest of them? I was told that after my bathroom break that I would meet you guys at the monkey exhibit, and it's been like half an hour. I almost have to pee again."

"I'm sorry, babe. But you will never guess who Booth, Dr. B, and Parker ran into." Angela raised an eyebrow at Hodgins, who looked positively giddy at the thought of beating his wife to the gossip. "That agent that almost got them separated as partners after the mummy thing."

"The one that finally pushed Booth and Bren together with a little boost from Hacker?"

Hodgins grinned at his wife. "Yeah, only get this. He isn't an agent anymore. He's a security guard at this very zoo. Apparently, Parker was leaning a little too much into the grizzly exhibit. He tried to yell at the kid and then Dr. B went all Mama Bear on the guy before realizing who it was. He was already running for the exit."

Angela's eyebrow raised to an impossible height. "Wait, didn't Bren joke about having him transferred to Alaska? What's he doing as security at a zoo?"

Hodgins shrugged. "Well, former security now, if what he was shouting can be believed. I don't know. But, apparently, she didn't go through with it. Right?"

"No, I don't think so. She only told me that she and Booth called in some favors and agreed to more therapy with Sweets or something like that. That the Bureau wasn't going to split them up."

Now it was Hodgins' turn to raise an eyebrow. "Sometimes I think that I am well connected, and then Dr. B goes off and calls in one of her contacts. Remind me to never get on her bad side." He shook his head and his wife laughed.

"Remember how Hacker ran off to India like two months after Booth and Bren started dating? And Bren threw him a farewell party? Bren swears that she had nothing to do with that one, but he seemed awfully eager to move across an ocean."

The husband and wife continued to laugh for a few moments but soon feel silent, leaning against each other and enjoying the sunshine. Eventually, they heard familiar laughter nearby. Hodgins opened his eyes and noticed Parker dragging the partners by their hands toward the monkey exhibit.

"Dad, Dad! Do your monkey impression for Dr. Bones!" Booth complied and Parker roared with laughter as Brennan indulged her partner with a smile. Parker tugged a little more on Brennan's hand.

"Bones, tell Dad about the Rhesus monkeys and about all the cool stuff that scientists know about them." Brennan launched into a technical explanation about some fact that Parker seemed to understand, but left Booth scratching his head. Parker turned to the monkeys and watched them play around for a few moments before growing bored. He suddenly let go of both Brennan's and Booth's hands and faced his father.

"Dad, I'm hungry. Can we get ice cream now?" He turned to Brennan. "Bones, you and me, we are getting strawberry, right? It's the best. Let dad have boring old vanilla." Brennan nodded and ignoring Booth's protest pulled out her wallet and handed the boy a twenty dollar bill.

"Parker, Angela and Hodgins are over on that bench. Why don't you go see if they want anything and we will meet you in line in a few minutes." Parker quickly hugged Brennan and without even waving good-bye to his father he ran over to the couple on the bench. Angela's eyes lit up at the mention of ice cream as her husband and Parker helped her to her feet and they made their way to the short line for ice cream.

Brennan stepped toward Booth and he placed his arm around his partner's shoulder. She smiled and leaned into him. The two watched the monkeys scamper for a few more minutes until Booth finally spoke.

"It was weird running into Tom, wasn't it?"

"I wasn't expecting it, no."

"He wasn't very happy to see us."

"Well he was offered a promotion to transfer to Chicago. I didn't know that he had turned it down." Booth looked sideways at his partner.

"Chicago? I thought you were sending him to Alaska."

Brennan gently swatted at Booth. "I don't know why you think that I had any power to get Masters or Hacker transferred, especially out of the country."

Booth just shrugged, "You must have some pull. We are still partners."

"For a few more months, anyway."

Booth released his grip on Brennan. "What do you mean for a few more months?"

Brennan realized her slip and pulled one of Booth's hands into her own. "Booth, I have a confession to make."

Booth's gaze was sharp and hard as he looked down at his partner, they had been so happy these past couple years and now something had gone wrong and she was going to pull his heart out and stomp on it. "What?"

Brennan smiled at him, the smile that had graced her face often since they had started dating. Only now it seemed even more radiant. Booth let out the breath that he didn't even know that he had been holding. "Booth, in a few months, I will be going on maternity leave. I can assure you that after a suitable length of time has passed that we will be back to work together as partners, although I understand that some adjustments will have to be made, especially considering your over-protective streak, but..."

The rest of her sentence was cut off as Booth quickly kissed her, then grabbed her and spun her around in circles.

Angela gave her husband a knowing nudge and proceeded to lick one of the two cones that she held in her hand. The chocolate one was for the baby. The peanut butter ripple was for her. She leaned over to her husband and whispered in his ear. "I've been telling Bren that our little guy needs a best friend to hang out with. It seems like she finally listened to me." Hodgins nearly dropped Booth's vanilla cone, but he recovered quickly. He was truly happy that Dr. B had let Booth into her heart and was excited for another future squint.

Parker looked between the two couples, "Angela, what's going on? Dad hasn't looked like that since Bones said that she would marry him."

Angela just shrugged. "I'm sure they'll tell you soon. I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise." She took a lick of the peanut butter treat and urged Parker to save the ice cream about to drip off of his own cone. Parker was suitably distracted for the next few moments and the partners finally walked to the group. Booth swung his fiance's hand in his own, and Angela was able to catch glints from the ring on Brennan's left ring finger as it caught the rays from the sun.

Booth took his cone from Hodgins as Parker handed his future step-mother her own cone. Parker's cone quickly disappeared and he was ready to move on to the large cats. He led the group to the next exhibit, growing impatient that the two couples were walking at such a leisurely pace. He could understand why Angela was moving so slowly, but was a bit annoyed that Brennan and Booth were also taking their time. They seemed to be in their own little world, a common occurrence when he spent time with his dad and Bones. He only heard part of their conversation, but they reached the big cats and he missed what they were saying as he leaned on the railing of the lion exhibit.

Brennan warned the boy away from the ledge and turned to her future husband. "Booth, now that we know that Agent Masters is in town, do you think that we should invite him to the wedding?"

Booth nearly choked on the last bite of his dessert. "Bones, I think that we just cost the guy his second job in two years. I doubt that he wants to come and offer us his best wishes."

Brennan appeared thoughtful for a moment. "Well, it is because of him that we finally crossed the line. It only seems fitting that he should be invited. I never got a chance to thank him."

Booth turned to his fiance. "Aww, Bones, you are going soft on me."

"I blame the hormones."

Booth grinned. "Go ahead, send him an invitation then. There is a lot that I would like to thank him for as well."

"Like what exactly?"

"For making my dreams a reality. For making reality even better than my dreams."

Brennan looked at her partner with exasperation. "Now who's going soft, Agent Booth?"

Booth grabbed his partner and kissed her deeply. Parker was oblivious to his father making out in a public setting, while Hodgins tactfully looked away. Angela merely finished her last bite of chocolate ice cream and fanned herself.


End file.
